Diocese of Scranton priest accused of child sex abuse

A priest in the Diocese of Scranton has been suspended and removed from his ministry following charges that he had inappropriate sexual relations with a minor. According to an internal investigation, the charges against Father John Ruth occured in the late 1970s and mid-1980s. Ruth had been serving at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Susquehanna when he was removed from the ministry. Ruth had served in 12 parishes in the Diocese of Scranton, including 3 in Scranton. No formal criminal charges have been filed against Ruth as of yet, the Diocese says it will cooperate fully with any law enforcement investigation.